Scanning and detecting a number of images
First Claim
1. A method of scanning and individually copying a number of images on a scanner, the method performing the following steps:
- detecting and grouping together one or more consecutive pixels of a current scanline;
updating a current background color of the scanner, wherein the current background color is derived from a previous background color and a color representative of the grouped pixels of the current scanline most likely to be part of a background;
determining said groups of pixels of a current scanline that are likely to belong to said images and those that are likely to belong to the background based upon said updated current background color; and
copying said determined groups of pixels belonging to images of a current scanline to their respective images.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosed a number of methods for scanning and individually detecting a number of images on a scanner platen. In one method, the scanner scans the platen one scanline after another and performs the following steps for each scanline. The method first detects and groups together one or more consecutive pixels of a current scanline having substantially similar colors (804,808,806). The method then determines (826) those said groups of pixels of a current scanline which likely belong to images and those which likely belong to background of the scanner. The method then copies (708) the determined groups of pixels belonging to images of a current scanline to their respective images.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of scanning and individually copying a number of images on a scanner, the method performing the following steps:
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detecting and grouping together one or more consecutive pixels of a current scanline; updating a current background color of the scanner, wherein the current background color is derived from a previous background color and a color representative of the grouped pixels of the current scanline most likely to be part of a background; determining said groups of pixels of a current scanline that are likely to belong to said images and those that are likely to belong to the background based upon said updated current background color; and copying said determined groups of pixels belonging to images of a current scanline to their respective images. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 11)
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5. A method of scanning and individually copying a number of images on a scanner, the method performing the following steps:
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detecting and grouping together one or more consecutive pixels of a current scanline having substantially similar colors; updating a current background color having a likelihood of being a background color of the scanner, wherein the current background color is derived from previous background color and a color representative of pixels of the current scanline most likely to be part of a background color; determining those said groups of pixels of a current scanline that are likely to belong to said images and those that are likely to belong to the background based upon said updated current background color; and copying said determined groups of pixels belonging to images of a current scanline to their respective images. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of scanning and individually copying a number of images on scanner, the method performing the following steps:
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pre-processing a current scanline to provide a current pre-processed scanline wherein the current pre-processed scanline is representative of edges of a pixel image o the current scanline; detecting and grouping together one or more consecutive pixels of the current pre-processed scanline, wherein those pixels of the current pre-processed scanline having values below a predetermined threshold value are grouped together in a group; updating a current background color having a likelihood of being a background color of the scanner, wherein the current background color is derived from a previous background color and a color representative of a group of pixels of the current scanline corresponding to the grouped pixels of the current preprocessed scanline having values below the predetermined threshold; determining said groups of pixels of a current scanline that are likely to belong to said images and those that are likely to belong to the background based upon said updated current background color; and copying said determined groups of pixels belonging to images of a current scanline to their respective images.
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12. Apparatus for scanning and individually copying a number of images on a scanner, the apparatus comprising;
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processing means for processing a plurality of scanlines, the processing means comprising; means for detecting and grouping together one or more consecutive pixels of a current scanline; means for updating a current background of the scanner, wherein the current background color is derived from a previous background color and a color representative of the grouped pixels of the current scanline most likely to be part of a background; means for determining those said groups of pixels of a current scanline that are likely to belong to said images and those that are likely to belong to the background based upon said updated current background color; and means for copying said determined groups of pixels belonging to images of a current scanline to their respective images. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for scanning and individually copying a number of images on a scanner, the apparatus comprising:
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processing means for processing a plurality of scanlines, the processing means comprising; means for updating and grouping together one or more consecutive pixels of a current scanline having substantially similar colors; means for determining a current background color having a likelihood of being a background color of the scanner, wherein the current background color is derived from a previous background color and a color representative of the grouped pixels of the current scanline most likely to be part of a background color; means for determining those said groups of pixels of a current scanline that are likely to belong to said images and those that are likely to belong to the background based upon said updated current background color; and means for copying said determined groups of pixels belonging to images of a current scanline to their respective images. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. Apparatus for scanning and individually copying a number of images on a scanner, the apparatus comprising:
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processing means for processing a plurality of scanlines, the processing means comprising; means for pre-processing a current scanline to provide a current preprocessed scanline, wherein the current pre-processed scanline is representative of edges of a pixel image of the current scanline; means for detecting and grouping together one or more consecutive pixels of the current pre-processed scanline, wherein those pixels of the current preprocessed scanline having values below a predetermined threshold value are grouped together in a group; means for updating a current background color having a likelihood of being a background color of the scanner, wherein the current background color is derived from a previous background color and a color representative of a group of pixels of the current scanline corresponding to the grouped pixels of the current pre-processed scanline having values below the predetermined threshold; means for determining said groups of pixels of a current scanline that are likely to belong to said images and those that are likely to belong to the background based upon said updated current background color; and means for copying said determined groups of pixels belonging to images of a current scanline to their respective images.
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21. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program for scanning and individually detecting a number of images on a scanner, the computer program comprising:
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processing means for processing a plurality of scanlines, the processing means comprising; means for detecting and grouping together one or more consecutive pixels of a current scanline, wherein the pixels are grouped together based on a representation of said current scanline; means for updating a current background color of the scanner, wherein the current background color is derived from a previous determined background color and a color representative of the grouped pixels of the current scanline most likely to be part of a background; means for determining those said groups of pixels of a current scanline that are likely to belong to said images and those that are likely to belong to the background based upon said updated current background color; and means for copying said determined groups of pixels belonging to images of a current scanline to their respective images.
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22. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program for scanning and individually detecting a number of images on a scanner, the computer program comprising:
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processing means for processing a plurality of scanlines, the processing means comprising; means for detecting and grouping together one or more consecutive pixels of a current scanline having substantially similar colors; means for updating a current background color having a likelihood of being a background color of the scanner, wherein the current background color is derived from a previous background color and a color representative of pixels of the current scanline most likely to be part of the background color; means for determining said groups of pixels of a current scanline that are likely to belong to said images and those that are likely to belong to the background based upon said updated current background color; and means for copying said determined groups of pixels belonging to images of a current scanline to their respective images.
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23. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program for scanning and individually detecting a number of images on a scanner, the computer program comprising:
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processing means for processing a plurality of scanlines, the processing means comprising; means for pre-processing a current scanline to provide a current preprocessed scanline, wherein the current pre-processed scanline is representative of edges of a pixel image of the current scanline; means for detecting and grouping together one or more consecutive pixels of the current pre-processed scanline, wherein those pixels of the current preprocessed scanline having values below a predetermined threshold value are grouped together in a group; means for updating a current background color having a likelihood of being a background color of the scanner, wherein the current background color is derived from a previous background color and a color representative of pixels of the current scanline corresponding to the said group of pixels of the current pre-processed scanline having values below the predetermined threshold; means for determining said groups of pixels of a current scanline that are likely to belong to said images and those that are likely to belong to the background based upon said updated current background color; and means for copying said determined groups of pixels belonging to images of a current scanline to their respective images.
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Specification